ST. LOUIS — People who live and work downtown said they have hopes for when one of St. Louis' largest skyscrapers is brought back to life. An out-of-state developer purchased the vacant AT&T tower, although their plans remain a mystery.
History is right at our back door. The former AT&T building is the second largest building in Missouri and has sat vacant for seven years now.
Advocates for a better downtown say it's time to change that because towering from the sky is a familiar landmark with absolutely nothing happening inside.
"I see the building outside of my window everyday so it’s exciting to hear that something is going to hopefully move in to it or at least be developed,” said Tanner Tucker with the Downtown Neighborhood Association.
This week, he learned a company tied to Boston-based developer, The Goldman Group, purchased the 44-story building that's sitting vacant.
"I think there's always concern about abandoned buildings because you never know what could happen if anybody could get inside them,” Tucker said. "I hope whoever ends up with the building or whoever's purchased it, really starts with cleaning up the area around it as far as glass or broken windows, or broken doors that are on it (and) spruce up the street around it."
According to its website, the Goldman Group invests in, develops and manages properties mainly in the Northeast, including the Old Federal Building in Augusta Maine.
“We look forward to sharing our exciting and comprehensive plans with the community in the near future,” a spokesperson for The Goldman Group told 5 On Your Side Tuesday.
"Do you know what they want to do?” 5 On Your Side asked Alderwoman Cara Spencer.
“I don't know the plans,” she said.
But she knows she wants to see serious investment.
"It's important that we’re moving this in the right direction. We've seen it languish and I'm getting serious about holding property owners’ feet to the fire,” she said, pointing to some out-of-state developers that have neglected their properties.
“Can an outside developer still be responsive?” 5 On Your Side asked.
“Yes, absolutely … we represent an enormous opportunity to out-of-town investment. I mean you can't get brick buildings like you can in the downtown St. Louis area anywhere in the world,” she said.
“It's got one of the biggest amenities downtown across from it, City Garden, so hopefully that'll spur some development in the area,” Tucker said.
“Under the leadership of Mayor Tishaura Jones, the City of St. Louis continues to work hard to revitalize our entire city, including downtown. From law firms to tech startups, retail and restaurants, downtown St. Louis has caught the eye of businesses from all backgrounds, cultures and sectors. We envision a day in the not-too-distant future when downtown serves as a cultural beacon for our entire region,” said a spokesperson with the mayor's office.